Luka Doncic delivered one of his most electric performances of the season on Thursday night, but it ended with both a loss and lingering health concerns for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite Doncic‘s brilliance, Los Angeles fell 135-117 to the Charlotte Hornets, a defeat that marked the Lakers’ fourth loss in their last five games.
The Lakers guard was unstoppable early, erupting for nineteen points in the opening quarter and keeping the Lakers within reach before Charlotte steadily took control.
By the final buzzer, Luka Doncic had piled up thirty nine points on fifteen of twenty six shooting.
He added three rebounds, four assists and six three pointers in thirty six minutes, once again carrying a heavy offensive load. Still, the effort was not enough to reverse the Lakers’ recent slide.
Yet, Doncic briefly left the game in the third quarter due to a back issue, raising immediate concern on the Lakers’ bench.
He was able to return and finish the contest, but the effects lingered beyond the final horn.
Groin soreness sidelines Doncic as back to back begins
On Friday, the Lakers confirmed that Doncic will not play in Saturday’s road matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.
According to the team’s official injury report, he has been ruled out with a sore left groin, an issue that surfaced alongside the back discomfort he experienced against Charlotte.
The timing is far from ideal. Saturday’s game represents the first half of a back to back set for the Los Angeles Lakers, who will return home on Sunday to face the Toronto Raptors.
Doncic‘s status for that game remains uncertain as the team evaluates how he responds to treatment over the next twenty four hours.
His absence in Portland leaves a noticeable void. Doncic has been sensational in his first full season with the Lakers, producing at a level few players in the league can match.
Through 32 games, he is averaging a league best 33.6 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting. He has also chipped in 7.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.6 steals per night, while connecting on 3.4 three pointers per game.
The Lakers enter Saturday with a 24-15 record, a mark that reflects a strong overall season but also hints at recent instability.
